Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford
When Parakeets Plundered New York
Jul 14, 2023
In this enlightening discussion, Ben Naddaff-Hafrey, a bird enthusiast and host of The Last Archive, shares his journey into birdwatching that began during the pandemic. He delves into the chaotic history of invasive monk parakeets in New York City, revealing how a pet craze turned into a panic. The conversation highlights concerns about population growth, the impact of non-native species on ecosystems, and the absurdity of training parakeets to talk, all while weaving in humor and unexpected insights on environmental policies.
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Quick takeaways
- The parakeet panic highlights the need for a nuanced approach in managing invasive species and the importance of considering the changes humans have already made to the planet.
- The parakeet panic reminds us of the evolving perspectives on population dynamics and the necessity of understanding the complexities for effective environmental management.
Deep dives
The Parakeet Panic
In the 1960s, there was a craze in the United States for monk parakeets, an exotic pet often associated with the Polynesian and South American cultures. However, people soon became overwhelmed by the chatter and released the parakeets into the wild. In 1969, a shipping crate at JFK airport broke open, releasing hundreds, if not thousands, of parakeets. This led to fears of overbreeding and the potential for agricultural damage. In response, a campaign was launched by the state of New York to eliminate the parakeet population, involving trapping and killing the birds. However, the campaign was not entirely successful, and today, there are still controlled populations of monk parakeets in New York City.
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